A method for optimizing re-transmission in a multi-antenna multi-terminal network, the method comprising the following steps performed by a station of the network: receiving from at least one terminal of multiple terminals one or more messages indicating a failed transmission of data sent to the multiple terminals; determining from the received one or more messages if a switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched and, if the criterion is matched, initiating a re-transmission of the data to the at least one terminal via a beam-forming technique involving one or more of the multiple antennas and using at least one beam for the re-transmission of the data.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for optimizing re-transmission in a multi-antenna radio base station within a mobile network including a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising the steps of: receiving from at least one terminal of multiple terminals one or more messages indicating a failed transmission of data sent to the multiple terminals, determining from the received one or more messages if a switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched, wherein a spatial distribution of the at least one terminal is determined for an adaptation of the switching-to-beam-forming criterion, and if the criterion is matched, initiating a re-transmission of the data to the at least one terminal via a beam-forming technique involving one or more of the multiple antennas and using at least one beam for the re-transmission of the data.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein a number of the at least one terminals is determined from the received one or more messages for determining if the switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the switching-to-beam-forming criterion comprises a quality criterion for deciding whether the beam-forming technique is preferred over a non-beam-forming technique for the retransmission.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched if the number of the at least one terminal equals and/or falls below a threshold value.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the beam-forming technique comprises at least one of switched antennas and phased array antennas techniques.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial distribution is determined based on a measurement of the received one or more messages which indicate a failed transmission.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial distribution is determined from at least one report received from the at least one terminal.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein each report comprises information indicative of a desired beam direction.
9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the station instructs the multiple terminals or a sub-set of the multiple terminals to start sending the at least one report if the switching-to-beam-forming criterion will likely be matched or is matched.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam is created according to the determined spatial distribution.
11. A system for optimizing re-transmission in a multi-antenna radio base station within a mobile network including a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising: receiving unit for receiving from at least one terminal of multiple terminals one or more messages indicating a failed transmission of data sent to the multiple terminals, processing unit for determining from the received one or more messages if a switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched, wherein a spatial distribution of the at least one terminal is determined for an adaptation of the switching-to-beam-forming criterion, and if the criterion is matched, transmission unit for initiating a re-transmission of the data to the at least one terminal via a beam-forming technique involving one or more of the multiple antennas and using at least one beam for the re-transmission of the data.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein a number of the at least one terminal is determined from the received one or more messages for determining if the switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the switching-to-beam-forming criterion comprises a quality criterion for deciding whether the beam-forming technique is preferred over a non-beam-forming technique for the retransmission.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the switching-to-beam-forming criterion is matched if the number of the at least one terminal equals and/or falls below a threshold value.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the beam-forming technique comprises at least one of switched antennas and phased array antennas techniques.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the spatial distribution is determined based on a measurement of the received one or more messages which indicate a failed transmission.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the spatial distribution is determined from at least one report received from the at least one terminal.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein each report comprises information indicative of a desired beam direction.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the station instructs the multiple terminals or a sub-set of the multiple terminals to start sending the at least one report if the switching-to-beam-forming criterion will likely be matched or is matched.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one beam is created according to the determined spatial distribution.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 10, 2008
November 27, 2012
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